It’s winter, and we only have one thing to get us through this year’s brutal chill: our skincare routines. Windburn, chapped lips, and dry hands are all common winter skin problems. But don’t worry — practicing these 3 steps as part of your winter skincare routine can help keep you protected.

Dry skin treatments and prevention

When the temperature drops, so does the moisture in the air, which makes many of us prone to dry skin in winter. If you love winter sports like skiing, skating, and making snow angels, super dry winter air can combine with other environmental factors (like sun and wind damage) with not-so-great results for our face. And it’s a lot harder to hide from the dry than it is from the cold: when you head indoors, artificial heating systems can be enough to cause extremely dry skin on its own.

Here are some of our most reliable dry skin remedies:

1. Bulk up your moisturizer

Gel moisturizers are great in the summer months, but when it gets cold and dry out, you might need to call for backup. Luckily, a rich moisturizer can help keep your face plump and baby-soft (and they’re fun to use all year round). If the atmosphere is interfering with your skin’s hydration, using a heavier emollient cream like a rich moisturizer with ingredients like hyaluronic acid and squalane helps to rebuild your skin’s natural moisture barrier. You can also supplement your current moisturizer with a few drops of non-comedogenic oils.

2. Go steady with your SPF

Because the wintertime means less sunlight, that means we can also loosen up on our sun protection, right? Wrong. Even though the sun feels like a distant memory, UV rays still penetrate the atmosphere, so protecting yourself against UV damage is one of the most important things you can do for your skin’s health year-round. Brush up on our guide to sunscreen if you need more SPF tips!

3. Watch out for windburn

Windburn may look and feel like a sunburn, but it’s its own beast. It's caused by a combination of low temperatures, dry air, and strong winds can weaken the top layer of your skin, making it look red, dry, and scaly, and feeling itchy, stingy, or sensitive.

Any activity performed in a low temperature, low humidity, high wind environment may lead to facial windburn, so it’s important to protect yourself. One of the easiest ways to help prevent windburn is by using a moisturizing sunscreen. In general, occlusive moisturizers — including petroleum jelly — will help your face stay even more hydrated — score!

Read more on how to treat windburn.

Don't forget your lip balm!

Bonus tip: chapped lips and winter are timeless frenemies, but be warned! Some moisturizing lip balms have ingredients that may make lip irritation worse. That’s why the dermatologists at Curology designed a lip balm for everyone to defend against the elements. It’s a no-clog, truly vegan formula that comes in 5 varieties, including unflavored original for those with sensitive lips and a SPF 30 formula! Learn more about the lip balm by Curology here.

Skincare for all seasons

All you have to do is hit up Curology for the easiest skincare routine — we won’t make you leave the house (or put on pants). Curology brings custom skincare to you by pairing you with a board-certified medical provider who can prescribe you a custom cream to treat stubborn skin concerns like acne, hyperpigmentation, or signs of aging.

Get your personalized skincare routine with Curology

Get your personalized skincare routine with Curology

Start your skin quiz

The complete set includes a hydrating cleanser and moisturizer to help your skin stay supple all year round. Sign up for a free trial and choose between the 3-step set or just the custom cream for $4.95 (plus tax) to cover the costs of shipping and handling. Cancel anytime. Subject to consultation. Subscription is required.

Written by

Curology Team

Medically reviewed by

Nicole Hangsterfer, PA-C